Auditing Oluremi Tinubu’s wastages  

The excessive spending on foreign trips by Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, to the tune of N701 million in three months, raises serious ethical and developmental concerns.

For a backgrounder, in the span of three months, the Federal Government spent approximately N701m to fund the foreign trips of the country’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, to five countries, Saturday PUNCH can confirm. Recall that in 2023, the Federal Government allocated N1.5bn for the procurement of vehicles for the Office of the First Lady. This budgetary allocation was outlined in the N2.1tn supplementary budget for 2023 approved by the National Assembly. A breakdown of the budget shows the government planned to spend N2.9bn on sport utility vehicles for the Presidential Villa and another N2.9bn to replace operational vehicles for the Presidency.

Using GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses Federal Government’s spending, showed that the government paid out the sum of N700,707,532 over three months for the First Lady’s foreign trips to five countries, including two African nations.

In a country where millions of citizens face extreme economic hardship, the prioritization of such lavish expenditures sends a disheartening message about the government’s commitment to sustainable development and responsible use of public funds.

Mrs. Tinubu holds a powerful position as a potential champion for sustainable development, yet these actions suggest a missed opportunity to lead by example. Instead of spending vast sums on travel, these resources could be redirected toward initiatives that promote long-term, sustainable growth and create meaningful employment opportunities for the Nigerian people. The allocation of such significant funds for non-essential purposes, especially in the face of widespread poverty and unemployment, demonstrates a lack of sensitivity to the struggles faced by ordinary citizens.

Sustainability is not just about environmental stewardship but also about social and economic equity. By choosing to invest in foreign trips instead of using these resources to fund sustainable projects, Mrs. Tinubu’s office fails to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s urgent developmental needs. The funds spent on travel could have been used to establish programs that empower women, support small businesses, or invest in infrastructure that improves the quality of life for Nigerians.

CSR Reporters recalls that the excessive spending on vehicles and operational luxuries further highlights the disconnect between the government’s spending priorities and the needs of the people. In a country where even the wealthy are feeling the pinch of economic distress, these funds could have been better allocated to programs that create jobs, enhance education, or improve healthcare.

As a leader, Mrs. Tinubu has the moral responsibility to exemplify prudent spending and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Instead of being a champion of wasteful expenditure, she could leverage her influence to promote initiatives that address long-term challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and environmental degradation. Rechanneling the funds used for travel into sustainable development projects would not only create jobs but also contribute to the nation’s economic resilience.

Honestly, it is heartbreaking to see money that could fuel sustainable growth and provide hope for millions of Nigerians being used on extravagant trips. Mrs. Tinubu has a unique opportunity to align her office with the principles of sustainability and to lead the way in demonstrating that responsible leadership means prioritizing the welfare of the people over personal or administrative luxuries.